The present invention relates to a medical needle assembly, and more specifically, relates to a special double-sided needle assembly.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional injector used to administer a pharmaceutical liquid into a human body, i.e., in the case where an injector already filled with pharmaceutical liquid, a so-called "pre-filled syringe" . The injector shown in FIG. 1 is constructed in such a way that a conventional type double-sided needle 1 is fitted to a syringe 4 with a stopper 3. In this type of needle 1, a plunger (not shown) of the injector is drawn to observe back-flow of the blood, and based on the observation, an operator makes a decision whether or not the needle 1 has been inserted in the vessel of the body. However, the operator can not confirm this fact until the blood comes into the syringe 4 of the injector through the needle 1.
FIG. 2 shows a normal needle 5 which is also used for a syringe 7 wherein blood can be observed at a space 6 to thereby confirm the insertion of the needle 5.
On the other hand, in a case where a radiopharmaceutical including radioisotope is administered into a patient, in order to protect administering operators such as physicians and nurses from the radiation exposure thereof on administration, a lead shield member 8 partially provided with a lead glass window 9 (referred to hereinafter as a "syringe shield") as shown in FIG. 3 is normally used. When the radiopharmaceutical in the pre-filled syringe is administered through the use of the syringe shield 8, the operators confirm entry of blood through the glass window 9 thereof. However, it is very difficult to observe the inside of the syringe because of the yellowish color of the glass window 9, which is not a colorless transparent color, and the darkness inside of the syringe. Therefore, it takes a long time to confirm insertion of the needle, resulting in an increment of exposure to the operators. If in order to protect the operators from exposure, insertion is confirmed based on the feelings of the operators, the patients are unnecessarily subjected to a possible in failure of insertion.
In order to resolve such disadvantages, firstly, a procedure is devised in which the confirmation can be accomplished at the same portion as the space 6, as shown in FIG. 2, of a normal luer needle and outside the syringe. The idea is described hereinbelow. Two kinds of special needles shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 (referred to hereinafter as a "double luer needle" are proposed and then a manner for accomplishing the confirmation of the insertion of the needles into the vessel is proposed in which widely used disposable needles can be used confirmation of blood can be accomplished at the luer member of each needle. However, since the needle shown in FIG. 4, has three parts in assembly, a luer cap 2, namely a double luer needle 10, and a disposable needle (not shown), to form the luer member, the length of the needle portion thereof composed by the double luer needle 10 and the disposable needle is increased, resulting in difficulty in administering a pharmaceutical liquid. On the other hand, with the needle shown in FIG. 5, the technique for performing a firm engagement between a double luer needle 11 and a luer cap 2 is difficult, and even though the engagement is performed, it results in a very high cost lacking practical use. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an essential object of the present invention is to resolve these disadvantages and to provide a double-sided needle assembly which reduces the length of the needle portion thereof, and is capable of easily being fitted to a syringe of an injector, resulting in a compact construction, and accomplishing confirmation.
In accomplishing this and other objects, according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a double-sided needle assembly comprising: an insert needle for inserting into a vessel; an afflux needle for supplying pharmaceutical liquid in a syringe of an injector to the insert needle; and a transparent luer member connecting the insert needle with the afflux needle through a space defined between an end of the insert needle and an end of the afflux needle in the luer member, and holding the insert and afflux needles to fit to the syringe.
By the above construction of the present invention, since the space for observing the back-flow of blood is arranged between the end of the insert needle and the end of the afflux needle in the luer member, confirmation of insertion of the insert needle into a vessel can be conveniently accomplished through the space in the luer member. Then, in the case of administration of pharmaceutical liquid, the radiation exposure of the operators can be certainly reduced by the use of the needle assembly. Furthermore, the length of the needle portion composed by the insert needle and the afflux needle is as small as that of a conventional normal disposable needle. The needle assembly can be very compact in construction, and can be fitted to a syringe of an injector by pressing at one time for completion for preparation of the use.